Top lever retaining means for break-open firearms

Abstract

A break-open type firearm having a frame, one or more barrels pivotally mounted on the frame, a barrel lock bolt for releasably locking the barrel at its closed position and a top lever for moving the barrel lock bolt from its barrel locking position to its barrel unlocking position is provided with novel means for retaining the top lever in the lever receiving opening of the frame. The top lever has a vertically elongated lock bolt operating crank that is rotatably received in the lever receiving opening of the frame, the operating crank having a spring strut receiving notch formed therein. The frame has a lever retaining shelf located in the lever receiving opening of the frame and a spring strut retaining shelf located below the lever receiving opening adjacent the upper end of the strut receiving notch of the operating crank. The lever retaining shelf has an operating crank passageway that permits the passage therethrough of the operating crank when the top lever is at its barrel locking position, the lever retaining shelf blocking upward movement of the operating crank and the top lever when the top lever is at its barrel unlocking position. The forward end of the top lever spring strut is received in the strut receiving notch of the operating crank, the strut retaining shelf blocking upward movement of the spring strut and the top lever when the top lever is at its barrel locking position.

We claim: 
     
       1. In a firearm having a frame, at least one barrel pivotally mounted on the frame; a barrel lock bolt movably mounted on the frame for releasably locking the barrel at its closed position; a top lever removably mounted on the frame, said top lever being rotatable to move the lock bolt from its barrel locking position to its barrel unlocking position and return; and top lever retaining means for retaining the top lever on the frame; the improvement in top lever retaining means which comprises; a top lever having a bearing surface adapted to rest on a corresponding support surface of the frame, and a radially offset vertically elongated lock bolt operating crank disposed a predetermined distance below the bearing surface of the top lever, said operating crank having a spring strut receiving notch and a lock bolt operating portion;   a frame having a top lever receiving opening in which the top lever is rotatably received, a lever retaining shelf located at the top lever receiving opening of the frame, and a spring strut retaining shelf located below the top lever receiving opening of the frame adjacent the upper end of the spring strut receiving notch of the operating crank, said lever retaining shelf having an operating crank passageway that permits the passage therethrough of the operating crank of the top lever when the top lever is at its barrel locking position, upward movement of the operating crank and the top lever being blocked by said lever retaining shelf when the top lever is at its barrel unlocking position; and   a top lever spring and spring strut mounted in the frame rearwardly of the top lever with the forward end of the spring strut received in the spring strut receiving notch of the operating crank of the top lever, upward movement of the forward end of the spring strut and the top lever being blocked by the strut retaining shelf when the top lever is at its barrel locking position.   
     
     
       2. The firearm according to claim 1 in which the top lever has a lever retainer lug disposed a predetermined distance below the bearing surface of the top lever, said lever retainer lug extending radially horizontally with respect to the vertical axis of rotation of the top lever, and in which the lever retaining shelf of the frame has a lever retainer lug passageway that permits the passage therethrough of the lever retainer lug when the top lever is at its barrel locking position, upward movement of the lever retainer lug and the top lever being blocked by said lever retaining shelf when the top lever is at its barrel unlocking position. 
     
     
       3. The firearm according to claim 1 in which the under surface of the spring strut retaining shelf of the frame is approximately level with and adjacent to the upper end of the spring strut receiving notch of the operating crank of the top lever. 
     
     
       4. The firearm according to claim 1 in which the lock bolt operating lower portion of the operating crank of the top lever engages the barrel lock bolt, said operating crank moving said lock bolt rearwardly to its barrel unlocking position when said top lever is rotated to its barrel unlocking position and said operating crank moving said lock bolt to its barrel locking position when said top lever is rotated to its barrel locking position. 
     
     
       5. In a firearm having a frame; at least one barrel pivotally mounted on the frame, said barrel being rotatable from its closed ready-to-fire position to its open loading and unloading position and return; a barrel lock bolt movably mounted on the frame for releasably locking the barrel at its closed position, said lock bolt being movable from its barrel locking position to its barrel unlocking position and return; a top lever removably mounted on the frame, said top lever being rotatable to move the lock bolt from its barrel locking position to its barrel unlocking position and return; a top lever spring urging the top lever and the lock bolt to their barrel locking positions; and top lever retaining means for retaining the top lever on the frame; the improvement in top lever retaining means which comprises: a top lever integrally formed with a horizontally disposed downwardly facing annular bearing surface adapted to rest on a corresponding upwardly facing annular support surface of the frame, and a vertically elongated lock bolt operating crank disposed a predetermined distance below the annular bearing surface of the top lever; said operating crank being radially offset with respect to the vertical axis of rotation of the top lever and having a lever retainer upper portion, a spring strut receiving notch and a lock bolt operating lower portion;   a frame integrally formed with a top lever receiving opening in which the top lever is rotatably received, a generally horizontal lever retaining shelf located at the top lever receiving opening of the frame, and a spring strut retaining shelf located below the top lever receiving opening of the frame adjacent the upper end of the spring strut receiving notch of the operating crank of the top lever; said lever retaining shelf having an operating crank passageway that is adapted to permit the passage therethrough of the operating crank of the top lever when the top lever is at its barrel locking position, said lever retaining shelf also having a downwardly facing top lever retaining surface that blocks upward movement of the operating crank and the top lever when the top lever is at its barrel unlocking position; and   a top lever spring and spring strut mounted in the frame rearwardly of the top lever with the forward end of the spring strut received in the spring strut receiving notch of the operating crank of the top lever, upward movement of the forward end of the spring strut and the top lever being blocked by the under surface of the strut retaining shelf when the top lever is at its barrel locking position.   
     
     
       6. The firearm according to claim 5 in which the top lever is integrally formed with a lever retainer lug disposed a predetermined distance below the annular bearing surface of the top lever, said lever retaining lug extending radially horizontally with respect to the vertical axis of rotation of the top lever, and in which the lever retaining shelf of the frame is formed with a lever retainer lug passageway that is adapted to permit the passage therethrough of the lever retainer lug when the top lever is at its barrel locking position, the downwardly facing top lever retaining surface of the lever retaining shelf blocking upward movement of the lever retainer lug and the top lever when the top lever is at its barrel unlocking position. 
     
     
       7. The firearm according to claim 5 in which the under surface of the spring strut retaining shelf of the frame is approximately level with and adjacent to the upper end of the spring strut receiving notch of the operating crank of the top lever. 
     
     
       8. The firearm according to claim 5 in which the lock bolt operating lower portion of the operating crank of the top lever engages the barrel lock bolt, said operating crank moving said lock bolt rearwardly to its barrel unlocking position when said top lever is rotated to its barrel unlocking position and said operating crank moving said lock bolt to its barrel locking position when said top lever is rotated to its barrel locking position.